N. Korean fishing boats cross maritime border in Yellow Sea

SEOUL, July 5 (Yonhap) -- Two North Korean fishing boats returned to their
country about four hours after they crossed into South Korean waters due to poor
visibility Sunday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The two North Korean boats appeared to have violated the Northern Limit Line
(NLL), the de facto maritime border between the two Koreas in the Yellow Sea, as
dense fog caused them to drift off course, the officials said.
The boats crossed the NLL at 11 a.m., 26km off Yeonpyeong Island in the northeast
Yellow Sea, the officials said.
The South Korean navy notified the North's patrol boats of the fishing boats'
violation, but they stopped short of responding to the notification, officials
said.
A North Korean patrol boat crossed over the NLL and towed the troubled boats
back to the North's side at 3:12 p.m., according to officials.
A similar intrusion by North Korean fishing boats took place on June 30, 12.6km
northeast in waters off Daechong Island in the Yellow Sea.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
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